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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1972

Motivation in vigilance - Effects of self-evaluation and experimenter-controlled feedback.

Vigilance experiments have been performed to study the relative efficiency of feedback operations in enhancing vigilance performance. Two feedback operations were compared - i.e., experimenter-controlled feedback in the form of knowledge of results (KR) regarding response times to signal detections, and subject-controlled feedback in the form of self-evaluation (SE) of response times to signal detections. The subjects responded to the aperiodic offset of a visual signal during a 1-hr vigil. Both feedback operations were found to enhance performance efficiency: subjects in the KR and SE conditions had faster response times than controls receiving no evaluative feedback. Moreover, the data of the KR and SE groups did not differ significantly from each other. The results are discussed in terms of the hypothesis that self-evaluation is a critical factor underlying the incentive value of KR in vigilance tasks.

Warm, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1970

Documentation: Motivation and training or automation

The road blocks and mental blocks in areas where automation is not taking care of basic documentation problems are discussed. Original project documentation, documentation for project maintenance, and comparison of preliminary and final documentation are described. The use of flow charts is also mentioned.

Mouton, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Motivation in vigilance - A test of the goal-setting hypothesis of the effectiveness of knowledge of results.

This study tested the prediction, derived from the goal-setting hypothesis, that the facilitating effects of knowledge of results (KR) in a simple vigilance task should be related directly to the level of the performance standard used to regulate KR. Two groups of Ss received dichotomous KR in terms of whether Ss response times (RTs) to signal detections exceeded a high or low standard of performance. The aperiodic offset of a visual signal was the critical event for detection. The vigil was divided into a training phase followed by testing, during which KR was withdrawn. Knowledge of results enhanced performance in both phases. However, the two standards used to regulate feedback contributed little to these effects.

Warm, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Gravitational wave detection with the solar probe: I. Motivation

Questions are posed and answered through discussion of gravitational wave detection with the Solar Probe. Discussed are: (1) what a gravitational wave is; (2) why wave detection is important; (3) what astrophysical information might be learned from these waves; (4) status of attempts to detect these waves; (5) why the Solar Probe is a special mission for detecting these waves; (6) how the Solar Probe's expected sensitivity compares with the strength of predicted gravitational waves; and (7) what gravity wave searchers will do after the Solar Probe.

Thorne, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Relationship between proton motive force and potassium ion transport in Halobacterium halobium envelope vesicles

The permeability of Halobacterium halobium vesicle membranes to potassium ions was investigated, and possible mechanisms for the regulation of the gradient of protons by the transmembrane movement of these ions were studied. The lack of a potassium ion diffusion potential in the absence of valinomycin, light-induced electrical potentials in excess of the chemical potential difference for potassium ions, and direct measurements of potassium ion influx during illumination show that the membranes are relatively impermeable to these ions. As a result of sodium ion extrusion during illumination, chlorine ions and water must be lost and the vesicles collapse. The light-induced collapse of vesicles is diminished only if the influx of potassium ions is increased.

Lanyi, J. K.↗
NASA NTRS1985

QCD-motivated description of very high energy particle interactions

Cross sections for the production of secondaries with large transverse momentum can become comparable to the total cross section in the TeV energy range. It is argued that the onset of this effect is observed at sub TeV energies via an increase of the rapidity distribution near y = 0, an increase of p sub T with energy and, most directly, via a correlation between p sub T and multiplicity. If indeed scaling violations are associated with the hard scattering of partons, then scaling violations are largely confined to the central region and have little effect on cosmic ray data which are sensitive to the forward fragmentation region.

Gaisser, T. K.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A guidance-motivated sensitivity analysis of an aero-assisted boost vehicle

A simple model of an aero-assisted booster is used to examine the contributions of propulsion system type, aerodynamic lift and flight trajectory to the efficiency with which payloads can be placed into low earth orbit. The higher propulsive efficiency of ramjet and scramjet propulsion has the potential of increasing the payload mass ratio significantly. The contributions of turbojet propulsion and aerodynamic lift are less significant. The additional complexity involved in using aerodynamic propulsion and lift requires dealing with a more comprehensive set of design variables than for rocket boosters. The approach taken is to derive a set of sensitivity functions which relate booster performance to the design variables. The problems of optimum mixing of aerodynamic lift with thrust and determining the optimal boost trajectory is treated. The potential payload capacity of a horizontal take-off air-breathing boost vehicle is examined. The optimization problem which considers propulsive efficiency, aerodynamic configuration, and control and guidance issues is discussed.

Taylor, L. W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Making it without losing it: Type A, achievement motivation, and scientific attainment revisited

In a study by Matthews et al. (1980), responses by academic psychologists to the Jenkins Activity Survey for Health Prediction, a measure of the Type A construct, were found to be significantly, positively correlated with two measures of attainment, citations by others to published work and number of publications. In the present study, JAS responses from the Matthews et al. sample were subjected to a factor analysis with oblique rotation and two new subscales were developed on the basis of this analysis. The first, Achievement Strivings (AS) was found to be significantly correlated with both the publication and citation measures. The second scale, Impatience and Irritability (I/I), was uncorrelated with the achievement criteria. Data from other samples indicate that I/I is related to a number of health symptoms. The results suggest that the current formulation of the Type A construct may contain two components, one associated with positive achievement and the other with poor health.

Helmreich, Robert L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Training - Behavioral and motivational solutions?

Psychological factors which govern interpersonal activities in the cockpit are examined. It is suggested that crew members should be selected based on personality characteristics required for the position and that training does not cause long lasting personality changes, it only teaches and improves task performance skills. The effects of mindlessness as defined by Langer (1978) and the attribution theory of Jones and Nisbett (1971) on flight deck communications and cockpit management are described. The needs for a new system of training crew members, with emphasis on strategies that induce cognitive processes and awareness, and for field investigations of pilots are discussed.

Helmreich, Robert L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A deep survey for Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars. I - Motivation, search technique, and first results

Results are presented from a survey of large areas of the southern Milky Way for Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars to 17-18th magnitude, carried out using direct narrowband and broadband Schmidt plates. Thirteen new WR stars were detected in an about 40-deg-sq region in Carina, where 24 WR stars were already known; the new stars were found to be significantly redder, fainter, and farther away than the known stars. Of the new WR stars, 11 are of subtype WN, and two are WC, compared to the 17 WN and seven WC stars among the previously known WR stars in the same area.

Shara, Michael M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The implantation of life on Mars - Feasibility and motivation

Scientific concepts are reviewed regarding the potential formation and development of a life-bearing environment on Mars, and a potential ecopoiesis scenario is given. The development of the earth's biosphere is defined, and the major assumptions related to the formation of Martian life are listed. Three basic phases are described for the life-implantation concept which include determining whether sufficient quantities of volatiles are available, engineering the warming of the planet, and implanting microbial communities if necessary. Warming the planet theoretically releases liquid H2O and produces a thick CO2 atmosphere, and the implantation of biological communities is only necessary if no indigenous microbes emerge. It is concluded that a feasibility study is required to assess the possibilities of implanting life on Mars more concretely.

Haynes, Robert H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Telerobotic system performance measurement - Motivation and methods

A systems performance-based strategy for modeling and conducting experiments relevant to the design and performance characterization of telerobotic systems is described. A developmental testbed consisting of a distributed telerobotics network and initial efforts to implement the strategy described is presented. Consideration is given to the general systems performance theory (GSPT) to tackle human performance problems as a basis for: measurement of overall telerobotic system (TRS) performance; task decomposition; development of a generic TRS model; and the characterization of performance of subsystems comprising the generic model. GSPT employs a resource construct to model performance and resource economic principles to govern the interface of systems to tasks. It provides a comprehensive modeling/measurement strategy applicable to complex systems including both human and artificial components. Application is presented within the framework of a distributed telerobotics network as a testbed. Insight into the design of test protocols which elicit application-independent data is described.

Kondraske, George V.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Exploiting structure: Introduction and motivation

Research activities performed during the period of 29 June 1993 through 31 Aug. 1993 are summarized. The Robust Stability of Systems where transfer function or characteristic polynomial are multilinear affine functions of parameters of interest in two directions, Algorithmic and Theoretical, was developed. In the algorithmic direction, a new approach that reduces the computational burden of checking the robust stability of the system with multilinear uncertainty is found. This technique is called 'Stability by linear process.' In fact, the 'Stability by linear process' described gives an algorithm. In analysis, we obtained a robustness criterion for the family of polynomials with coefficients of multilinear affine function in the coefficient space and obtained the result for the robust stability of diamond families of polynomials with complex coefficients also. We obtained the limited results for SPR design and we provide a framework for solving ACS. Finally, copies of the outline of our results are provided in the appendix. Also, there is an administration issue in the appendix.

Xu, Zhong Ling↗
NASA NTRS1994

Exploiting structure: Introduction and motivation

This annual report summarizes the research activities that were performed from 26 Jun. 1993 to 28 Feb. 1994. We continued to investigate the Robust Stability of Systems where transfer functions or characteristic polynomials are affine multilinear functions of parameters. An approach that differs from 'Stability by Linear Process' and that reduces the computational burden of checking the robust stability of the system with multilinear uncertainty was found for low order, 2-order, and 3-order cases. We proved a crucial theorem, the so-called Face Theorem. Previously, we have proven Kharitonov's Vertex Theorem and the Edge Theorem by Bartlett. The detail of this proof is contained in the Appendix. This Theorem provides a tool to describe the boundary of the image of the affine multilinear function. For SPR design, we have developed some new results. The third objective for this period is to design a controller for IHM by the H-infinity optimization technique. The details are presented in the Appendix.

Xu, Zhong Ling↗
NASA NTRS1998

The Dynamical Evolution of the Earth-Moon Progenitors: Motivation and Methodology - 1

The giant impact hypothesis was introduced in the mid-1970s after consideration of results from the Apollo missions. This hypothesis best explains the similarity in elemental proportions in lunar and terrestrial rocks, the depletion of lunar volatiles, the lack of lunar Fe, and the large angular momentum in the Earth-Moon system. Comparison between the radiometric ages of inclusions in the most primitive meteorites and in the oldest lunar rocks and the differentiation age of Earth suggests that the Earth-Moon system formed about100 m.y. after the oldest meteorites. In addition, the age of the famous martian meteorite ALH 84001 and an early Martian solidification time obtained by Lee and Halliday suggest that the inner solar system was fairly clear of large bodies about 10 m.y. after the oldest meteorites formed. Thus, the "standard model" suggests that for several tens of millions of years, the terrestrial planet region had few, if any, lunar-sized bodies, and there were five terrestrial planets: Mercury, Venus, the two progenitors of the Earth-Moon system, and Mars. To simulate the dynamics of the solar system before the hypothesized Moon-forming impact, we are integrating the solar system with the Earth-Moon system replaced by two bodies in heliocentric orbits between Venus and Mars. The total (orbital) angular momentum of the Earth-Moon progenitors is that of the present Earth-Moon system, and their total mass is that of the Earth-Moon System. We are looking at ranges in mass ratio and initial values for eccentricity, inclination, and semimajor axis. We are using the SYMBA integrator to integrate these systems until a collision occurs or a time of 200 m.y. elapses. Results are presented in a companion abstract, (also presented at this meeting).

Lissauer, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The Dynamical Evolution of the Earth-Moon Progenitors: Motivation and Methodology - 1

The Giant Impact Hypothesis was introduced in the mid-1970's after consideration of results from the Apollo Moon missions. This hypothesis best explains the similarity in elemental proportions in lunar and terrestrial rocks, the depletion of lunar volatiles, the lack of lunar iron. and the large angular momentum in the Earth-Moon system. Comparison between the radiometric ages of inclusions in the most primitive meteorites and those of inclusions in the oldest lunar rocks and the differentiation age of Earth suggests that the Earth-Moon system formed about 100 Myr after the oldest meteorites. In addition, the age of the famous Martian meteorite ALH84001 and an early solidification time estimated from the Martian crust, suggest that the inner Solar System was fairly clear of large bodies about 10 Myr after the oldest meteorites formed. Thus, the 'standard model' suggests that for a period of several tens of millions of years the terrestrial planet region had few. if any, lunar-sized bodies and there were five terrestrial planets, Mercury, Venus, the two progenitors of the Earth-Moon system, and Mars. To simulate the dynamics of the Solar System before the hypothesized Moon-forming impact, we are integrating the Solar System with the Earth-Moon system replaced by two bodies in heliocentric orbits between Venus and Mars. The total (orbital) angular momentum of the Earth-Moon progenitors is that of the present Earth-Moon system, and their total mass is that of the Earth-Moon system. We are looking at ranges in mass ratio and initial values for eccentricity, inclination. and semi-major axis. We are using the SYMBA integrator to integrate these systems until a collision occurs or a time of 200 Myr elapses. Results are presented in a companion paper.

Lissuer, Jack↗